Relationship & Spiritual Oversight

We are so grateful to the Lord for the wise and faithful spiritual advisors the Lord has placed in our lives for accountability and for spiritual oversight. We meet together with them individually and as a Trust Board at various times throughout the year.

Eagle Ascend Ministries is a registered Charitable Trust and are held responsible and accountable through a Trust Document and 5 members of the Trust Board, Ian George, Mike Niterl, Phil Gaze and Len and Linda Buttner

Our Trust Board

Ian George

Trust Board

Ian George is a retired architect and a longtime member of Elim Botany Church. Ian is a man filled with wisdom and integrity and the heart of God. Ian, along with his wife Sandra, have been part of the ministry team at Elim for many years and are great prayers and teachers of God’s Word and you will always find someone going down their drive to sit under their wisdom and anointing. Ian also runs a fortnightly men’s prayer group at his home. Ian is also a chaplain for the Prisons. When Ian is not doing the above you will find him on the tennis court or writing for his blog on topical subjects. We love having them as friends as well as a Trust Board member

Mike Niterl

Trust Board

Len first met Mike many years ago when they both were traveling back to SA to visit sick fathers. They discussed their faith and decided that when they returned they would start up a men’s prayer group on a Friday morning before work. It happened and Mike is still running ‘Coffee & the Cross’ every Friday morning. Pastors from churches marvel how so many men are still attending after so many years. Mike is kept very busy running the many facets of his businesses, Creative Dental Ceramics. He spends a lot of time developing new business concepts and product lines, as well as staff training and Quality Control using the skills gained over a vast number of years in the dental industry. Married to Lucy, Mike has numerous hobbies, including golf, fishing, and motor sport but places a high priority on spending time with his children and grandson.

Phil Gaze

Trust Board

Phil Gaze is our youngest member of the Trust and fulfills his role by pushing us beyond the boundaries. He is our ideas man and also very practical and keeps us going forward with technology and is a great encouragement to us. He has always been filled with great wisdom beyond his age.

Phil is married to the very gifted Nic and they have 4 amazing children.

Phil was on the Trust Board of Elim Botany for many years. He has his own business, Next Generation, and has mentored, coached and managed many aspiring and successful young athletes across the spectrum of sports in New Zealand. We value his input into our ministry.

Oversight and Relationship

In 1981 Mike and Janne answered a call to ministry and shifted from Auckland to Tauranga to be involved with a small church. Abundant Life Community Church began in August 1982 with a small number of people who had experienced renewal in their lives through the Holy Spirit and had a heart to follow and worship God with freedom.

Over the years one of the most common comments that people have made about Abundant Life is the sense of family that we share. We have recognised that this is a pivotal part of the flavour that the Lord has given us as a fellowship. The inclusion of the word “community” within the name of the church is significant as it identifies our focus and commitment to reaching and impacting our community.

Len and Linda have known Mike and Jan for many years as joint oversight for a local church. Both Mike and Janne are anointed with wisdom and apostleship. Out of relationship Eagle Ascend Ministries are now itinerant Associate pastors with Abundant Life.

Len is Spiritual Advisor/Oversight to a number of Churches & Groups

The River Church – Auckland

Christian Fellowship Wellsford – Wellsford

Hope Centre NZ – Auckland

Emmanuel Christian Church – Christchurch

Victory Christian Centre – Wellington

St John’s Presbyterian – Hawera

Pacific Pearls Woman’s Ministry – Auckland

Various House Churches – Auckland and Surrounding Areas

“Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you” (Hebrews 13:17)